It’s that time of year again. No, not when I write my now seemingly annual article (sorry, I’ll try and get back to it!), but rather the time when clubs anxiously await their fate as to which division they’ll be competing in the following season. Why, though, does it always come to this?

Hellenic League 2015/16 Lineup Confirmed

Today saw the AGM of the Hellenic League – one of the leagues situated at Step 5 of nonleague – with some difficult decisions on the agenda.

Flackwell Heath rejected their promotion to the Southern League last week, which they earned by winning the Premier by a dozen points. Originally placed in the Southern League Central Division, they were subsequently shifted across to the South & West. As this would have more than doubled their mileage for next season, and with it their costs, they decided to remain at Step Five once again.

This had a knock-on effect, as the Premier was potentially left with twenty one members instead of the usual twenty. A few options were proposed; sticking with one extra side in the division, relegating Reading Town (who finished fourth bottom in the Premier), or denying Lydney Town promotion. Lydney finished third in Hellenic Division One West. The vote resulted in the league being reduced back down to twenty, and it is Reading Town who will make way for them.

Of course, Flackwell Heath’s decision to not take promotion meant that a place at Step Three was up for grabs. And again there was a twist in the tale. Ordinarily, it would have been the second placed team in the division that took the promotion, but it has emerged that Highmoor Ibis failed to meet the ground grading requirements, and instead Winchester City of the Wessex Premier have gone up. There had also been talk of Windsor FC moving across to the Hellenic from the Combined Counties, but those rumours proved unfounded.

All of this means that no side from the Hellenic League has gone up to Step Four this summer. The full league constitution is as follows:

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

About James Bartaby

Hey,
I'm James and I'm relatively new to non-league football, having only taken in my first match in September 2011. Despite it being a 0-4 defeat for Hampton & Richmond Borough, I became a huge fan of the club and NL in general. So much so that they are now the first club that I mention when talking about which team I support! I just got massively disillusioned with top flight football in this country and the attitudes of the lawmakers and top clubs in general, and I wanted to start taking my son to see decent football.
I am now the club's Deputy Press Officer, and loving every minute!